    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book III)]
    [December 25, 2004]
    [Pages 3140-3141]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    The President's Radio Address
    December 25, 2004

        Good morning. On this Christmas Day, as families across the Nation
    gather in our homes to celebrate, Laura and I
    extend to all Americans our best wishes for the holidays. We hope this
    Christmas is a time of joy and peace for each of you, and we hope it
    offers you a chance for rest and reflection as you look forward to the
    new year ahead.
        The Christmas season fills our hearts with gratitude for the many
    blessings in our lives, and with those blessings comes a responsibility
    to reach out to others. Many of our fellow Americans still suffer from
    the effects of illness or poverty. Others fight cruel addictions or cope
    with division in their families or grieve the loss of a loved one.
        Christmastime reminds each of us that we have a duty to our fellow
    citizens, that we are called to love our neighbor just as we would like
    to be loved ourselves. By volunteering our time and talents where they
    are needed most, we help heal the sick, comfort those who suffer, and
    bring hope to those who despair, one heart and one soul at a time.
        During the holidays, we also keep in our thoughts and prayers the
    men and women of our Armed Forces, especially those far from home,
    separated from family and friends by the call of duty. In Afghanistan,
    Iraq, and elsewhere, these skilled and courageous Americans are fighting
    the enemies of freedom and protecting our country from danger. By
    bringing liberty to the oppressed, our troops are helping to win the war
    on terror, and they are defending the freedom and security of us all.
    They and their families are making many sacrifices for our Nation, and
    for that, all Americans are deeply grateful.
        The times we live in have brought many challenges to our country.
    And in such times, the story of Christmas brings special comfort and
    confidence. For 2,000 years, Christmas has proclaimed a message of hope,
    the patient hope of men and women across centuries who listened to the
    words of prophets and lived in joyful expectation, the hope of Mary who
    welcomed God's plan with great faith, and the hope of Wise Men who set
    out on a long journey, guided only by a promise traced in the stars.
        Christmas reminds us that the grandest purposes of God can be found
    in the humblest places, and it gives us hope that all the love and gifts
    that come to us in this life are the signs and symbols of an even
    greater love and gift that came on a holy night.
        Thank you for listening, and Merry Christmas.

    Note: The address was recorded at 7:50 a.m. on December 23 at Camp
    David, MD, for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on December 25. The transcript
    was made available by the Office of the Press Secretary on December 23
    but was embargoed for release until the broadcast. The Office of the
    Press Secretary also released a Spanish language transcript of this
    address.

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